Search

This document summarizes a study on interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study found that ILD was present in 8.28% of SLE patients and was associated with disease duration. Ground-glass opacity was the most common abnormality in chest imaging of SLE-ILD patients. Treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressive therapy, and antifibrotic therapy showed improvements in chest imaging and pulmonary function. Early detection and treatment of ILD in SLE patients is important, but more research is needed to evaluate specific treatments. [Extracted from the article]

Aerosol effects on the lightning intensity and polarity of a continental supercell storm were investigated using a three‐dimensional lightning scheme within the Weather Research and Forecasting model. We find that both intra‐cloud (IC) and cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flashes are enhanced by the increasing number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), especially the percentage of positive CG (+CG) strokes peaking at 42%. Electrical characteristics of the storm varied in different aerosol scenarios through microphysical processes. Added aerosols increase the number of cloud droplets and ice‐phase hydrometeors. The greater ice‐crystal concentration and larger graupel size ensure sufficient charge separation, leading to higher charge density and more lightning discharges. In addition, an inverted polarity charge structure with a strong positive‐charge region in the mid‐levels was formed mainly due to the positively charged graupel in the presence of higher supercooled cloud water content. Positive lightning channels originating from this positive‐charge region propagated to the ground, producing more +CG strokes. When the aerosol concentration was low, the charge density in the upper positive‐charge region was much lower due to smaller ice‐particle content. Consequently, there were barely any +CG strokes. Most of the negative CG flashes deposited positive charge in the lower negative‐charge region. Plain Language Summary: The possible effects of aerosols on lightning intensity and polarity were investigated using an explicit lightning scheme within a weather forecast model. Added aerosols invigorated intra‐cloud flashes and cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flashes in continental convection. A noticeably high fraction of positive CG lightning was also identified under polluted conditions. Elevated cloud condensation nuclei concentration increased the ice particle content and graupel size, leading to enhanced charge separation and lightning activity. An inverted‐polarity charge structure appeared owing to the positively charged graupel in the presence of greater supercooled cloud water amounts. This charge distribution was manifested in the lightning activity, showing that positive channels propagated to the ground, generating more positive CG strokes under polluted conditions. Key Points: Aerosols enhance charge separation and lightning discharges due to a greater ice‐crystal concentration and larger graupel sizeAerosols lead to inverted charge structure with strong positive‐charge region, producing high percentage of positive cloud‐to‐ground strokesGraupel particles gain positive charge at upper levels in the presence of higher supercooled cloud water under polluted conditions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a clustering algorithm based on cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lighting data, 72,974 thunderstorms were identified and tracked in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Basin from May to September of 2016–2020. Thunderstorms predominantly occur in the southeast region and move to the northeast at a speed of 16–64 km/hr. Most thunderstorms have short durations (98.3%, ≤3 hr) and low CG flash frequencies (90.0%, ≤64). Thunderstorms with longer durations are mainly triggered near the mountains and tend to occur (end) earlier (later) in the afternoon (evening). The peak composite reflectivity (CR) corresponding to CG flashes from all thunderstorms is 50 dBZ. Approximately 70% (20%) of CG flashes occur in convective (stratiform) areas. The first CG flash of a thunderstorm tends to occur in convective areas with a higher CR than that of the last CG flash. The average and maximum CRs of CG flashes increase significantly with thunderstorm duration. Plain Language Summary: Thunderstorms are known as a type of weather system that is typically accompanied by the presence of lighting and other hazardous weather (high winds, heavy rain, hail and tornadoes). Cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lighting produced by thunderstorms is a highly dangerous weather phenomenon that occurs between a thundercloud and the ground and often causes wildfires, explosions and severe damage to buildings. The middle reaches of the Yangtze River Basin in China are a transition zone between plateaus and plains, with dense urban agglomerations, rivers and lakes. However, thunderstorm activity in such complex underlying surfaces is poorly understood. Based on ground‐based radar and lightning observations, the statistical characteristics of thunderstorm activity in this region during the warm seasons (May to September) of 2016–2020 are analyzed using a lightning clustering method. The CG lighting number, area and displacement of thunderstorms increase with thunderstorm duration. Thunderstorms that last longer are mostly triggered near the mountains and often start earlier in the afternoon and end later in the evening. In addition, CG lighting produced by thunderstorms is associated with high radar echo intensity. These findings are useful for improving the nowcasting of lightning and other hazardous weather caused by thunderstorms. Key Points: The cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flash number, area, displacement, etc., of thunderstorms based on lightning data change with increasing thunderstorm durationThunderstorms with longer durations, mostly triggered near the mountains, occur earlier in the afternoon and end later in the eveningRadar echo characteristics of CG flashes from thunderstorms with different durations show certain regularities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]